This invention relates generally to a new and improved web for feeding into or through web handling machines such as sign makers, plotters, recorders and the like, wherein the web is fed longitudinally by a pair of feed sprockets cooperating with feed holes provided in the two longitudinal side edge portions of the web, and more particularly relates to a new and improved web provided with auxiliary holes extending along its longitudinal side edge portions in addition to the standard feed holes, with an auxiliary hole located between each pair of adjacent standard feed holes, and which new and improved web may be fed through such web handling machines regardless of whether or not the sprockets of such machines are provided with additional or extra pins intermediate adjacent pairs of standard feed pins.
As known to the art, for various purposes, feed sprockets of web handling machines of the above-noted types can have their feed sprockets provided with extra or additional pins intermediate standard feed pins and such extra feed pins can be located at different circumferential location's between pairs of adjacent standard feed pins and can be located at different circumferential locations on the sprockets.
An example of feed sprockets provided with such extra or additional pins, and a web for use therewith provided with extra or additional holes between adjacent pairs of standard feed holes, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,276 patented May 30, 1989 entitled WEB LOADING AND FEEDING SYSTEM, RELATED WEB CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING WEB, David J. Logan inventor and assigned to Gerber Scientific Products, Inc. The teaching of this patent is that the extra or additional pins provided on the sprockets visually distinguish certain pairs of standard feed pins and that the extra or additional holes provided in the web visually distinguish certain pairs of standard feed holes on the web and that these visually distinguished pairs of standard feed pins and pairs of standard feed holes permit the ready alignment of the web with the sprockets and prevent damage or ruin of the web due to web-sprocket misalignment as to the web is advanced into the web handling machine. It is stated in this patent that this misalignment problem is particularly prevalent when the web is very wide, and it is difficult to determine by the eye which sprocket pins correspond with one another and which feed holes on the opposite sides of the web correspond with one another. The above-noted patent includes claims covering a web loading and feeding system wherein the included sprockets are provided with visually distinguishing means, e.g. an extra or additional pin between an adjacent pair of standard feed pins, and claims a web wherein the two longitudinal side edge portions of the web are provided with visually distinguished means, e.g. an extra or additional hole between adjacent pairs of standard feed holes. Since there are many machines in the field covered by the web handling and feeding system claims of the patent, heretofore only webs covered by the web claims of the patent can be used on such web handling and feeding machines and others without permission to manufacture and sell webs covered by the web claims are precluded from making and selling webs for use on such web handling and feeding systems.
The inventor of the present web invention has found such stated web-sprocket misalignment not to be a typical problem because the typical web used on such web handling machines is about 15 inches wide and an operator generally has no problem in correctly aligning the web fed holes with the sprocket fed pins.
Accordingly, to promote commerce, there exists a need in the art for a new and improved web which may be used on web handling and feeding systems covered by the claims of the above-noted patent but which webs are not covered by the web claims of such patent.